SSTI Digest

Science and Engineering Indicators - 1996 is available from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) National Science Board. The report is both a reference document and a policy document that provides an extensive array of data. The 1996 report has expanded to include output as well as input indicators as well as some indicators of the impact and outcome of science and engineering in the U.S. Some of the new topics in the 1996 report include: A chapter that seeks to explain and provide examples of how S&E research has affected the economy and society. New and expanded indicators note intensified international interaction and globalization of S&T activity. The report is available from NSF or on the World Wide Web under the NSF home page address http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/stats.htm

Director, NASA Far West Regional Technology Transfer Center (FWRTTC), School of Engineering, University of Southern California The mission of FWRTTC is to play a leading role in the commercialization of NASA technology, with the primary focus on technology developed in the three NASA field centers in its region; Ames Research Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Dryden Flight Research Center. The FWRTTC region includes the eight western states (CA, OR, WA, AK, AZ, HI, NV and ID) and the FWRTTC supports an affiliate organization in each of these states to assist in the commercialization work. The commercialization mission is broadly defined, and includes making industry aware of NASA technology, promoting new NASA technology, assisting companies seeking to acquire and commercialize NASA technologies, forming industry alliances and state-industry relationships to further the commercialization of NASA technology, and assisting in the formation of new enterprises to further the commercial development and application of NASA technology. The FWRTTC Director has…

The Advanced Technology Program (ATP) of the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) has announced a public meeting to bring together all ATP awardees of the ATP Tools for DNA Diagnostics program "to present an overview of the non-proprietary aspects of their research and development activities." The goals of the meeting are to: "inform the DNA diagnostics community about activities at this stage of the focused program, promote cross-fertilization of concepts and efforts, promote strategic partnering across companies and other organizations, accelerate commercialization of emerging technologies, and promote networking." The meeting will be held September 9-10 at NIST headquarters in Gaithersburg, MD. Since 1994, ATP has supported a focused initiative in Tools for DNA Diagnostics. The goal of this initiative has been "to develop cost-effective methods to determine, analyze, and store DNA sequences for a wide variety of diagnostic applications." Currently, the initiative has provided $106 million worth of ATP funding, includes 22 industrial projects, and has leveraged $99 million of…

We welcome our first SSTI-Kauffman Interns: Cathleen McComas and Nakisha Fouch. Cathleen is a graduate student in public policy and management. Nakisha is pursuing her bachelor's degree in economics. Funding for the SSTI-Kauffman Intern Program has been provided by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership. We are sorry to say goodbye to Ellen Moore, SSTI's Services Coordinator. Ellen was responsible for the initial administrative set-up of the Institute and produced the SSTI Weekly Digest.

Last week, the House and the Senate approved the concurrent (final) budget resolution for FY 1997. The $1.63 trillion spending blueprint establishes broad spending targets for the coming fiscal year. Nondefense R&D is budgeted at $32.2 billion in FY 1997, down from the FY 1996 total of $32.7 billion. The AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Project has calculated the impact of the resolution on nondefense r&d. The impact on the major r&d agencies breaks down as follows: Agency/Program R&D FY 1995 R&D FY 1996 (est.) R&D FY 1997 (proj.) HHS 11,690 12,091 11,925 NASA 9,875 9,416 9,316 DOE (nondefense) 3,969 3,577 3,456 NSF 2,544 2,401 2,464 USDA 1,540 1,425 1,425 Commerce 1,284 948 880 All figures in million of…

The General Accounting Office (GAO) has released a report, "Tax Policy and Administration: Review of Studies of the Effectiveness of the Research Tax Credit," that concludes that much uncertainty remains about the responsiveness of research spending to tax incentives. There was mixed evidence that the amount of research and development spending stimulated by the federal credit equals or exceeds the cost of the lost revenue. GAO found that it was "unable to conclude from the recent studies that they provide adequate evidence that a dollar of research tax credit would stimulate a dollar of additional research spending." GAO determined that the studies were limited by both the data and the methodologies used. The lack of adequate data was attributed largely to the use of publicly available data rather than tax return data. Tax return data are confidential and therefore were unavailable for the studies. The primary source of data was the COMPUSAT service, which provides financial information on publicly traded companies drawn from such sources as annual reports and SEC filings. In the…

The International Institute for Management Development has released its annual World Competitiveness Yearbook, and the United States has reclaimed its spot atop the list. The U.S. was followed by Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and Denmark. World Competitiveness is defined by IMD as "the ability of a country to create added value and thus increase national wealth by managing assets and processes, attractiveness and aggressiveness, globality and proximity, and by integrating these relationships into an economic and social model." National wealth is the end result of world competitiveness. The World Competitiveness Yearbook 1996 considered eight different factors: domestic economy, internationalization, government, management, finance, infrastructure, science and technology, and people. Altogether, they account for 225 criteria where each of the 46 countries is ranked individually. The World Competitiveness Scoreboard is the aggregation of all these criteria and provides each country's global ranking. According to the report, "the United States (1st) has reinforced its leadership position…

Milwaukee, St. Louis, and San Diego were named to receive a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for developing system-wide reforms in K-12 science, mathematics, and technology education. The awards are part of NSF's Urban Systemic Initiative. The initiative supports science, math, and technology education reform in cities with the largest number of school-aged children living in poverty. Each city will receive a five-year, $15 million grant for system-wide reform. Twenty-seven cities have received NSF urban reform grants since 1993. Nine cities received USI funding in 1994. Seven more received funding in 1995. Milwaukee, St. Louis, and San Diego are the first cities chosen to receive funding in 1996.

Thirteen individuals have been named recipients of the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology--America's version of the Nobel Prize. Among those honored was a director of one of New Jersey's Advanced Technology Centers. The National Medal of Science, administered by NSF, honors individuals for contributions to the present state of knowledge in: physical, biological, mathematical, engineering or social and behavioral sciences. The National Medal of Technology, administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce honors individuals and companies for technological innovation and advancement of U.S. global competitiveness. Recipients of the National Medal of Science are: Wallace Broecker Columbia University Norman Davidson California Institute of Technology James Flanagan Rutgers University and director of the Center for Computer Aids for Industrial Productivity, a New Jersey Advanced Technology Center Richard Karp University of Washington C. Kumar N. Patel University of California- Los Angeles Ruth Patrick Academy of Natural Sciences,…

A Missouri businesswoman was named National Small Business Person of the Year by the Small Business Administration. Phyllis Hannan, president of Laser Light Technologies, received the award last week as part of the SBA's Small Business Week (June 2-8) celebration. Small Business Week is designated each year to honor the nation's small businesses and to highlight their contributions to the national economy and their local communities. SBA also honored leading business owners from each state, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico at the ceremonies in Washington. Contact SSTI for the names of the state or special award winners. SBA also announced the winners of the First Annual "Tibbetts Awards" in recognition of individuals and organizations that have provided outstanding contributions to the Small Business Innovation Research Program. Award winners came from private sector, non-profit, and government organizations including: Arizona Innovation Network Scottsdale, AZ Small Business High Technology Inst Phoenix, AZ U S West, Inc./U S West Foundation Englewood,…

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) have created the NSF/SRC Engineering Research Center for Environmentally Benign Semiconductor Manufacturing. The new center will study the environmental, health, and safety aspects of the semiconductor manufacturing process. Through the center, which will be housed at the University of Arizona, scientists and engineers from Arizona, MIT, Stanford, and UC-Berkeley will address the semiconductor industry's concern for a more environmentally sound manufacturing process. The Arizona ERC will work in partnership with firms from the semi-conductor industry that will contribute to the strategic planning of the research program. The semiconductor industry makes microchips for electronic components that power a variety of products including personal computers, medical instruments and cellular phones. A significant issue facing the industry is that semiconductor production requires a large amount of highly purified water to rinse and clean a silicon wafer. The industry is interested in reducing the amount of water and…

The Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership (FMEP) is seeking a Director who possesses the skills that are needed for the corporation to excel. The applicant should be an innovator and entrepreneur as well as a leader and a team builder with excellent communication skills. This position requires a person with vision and the ability to build a shared vision based on basic principles of leadership, management, and finance. The Director will be required to make FMEP self-supporting within six years. The position will director FMEP in its primary role of assisting small and mid-sized manufacturers adopt appropriate technologies and technique. The Director will coordinate with Enterprise Florida Innovation partnership as well as state and local service providers that bring a complete spectrum of assistance (including management, finance, and marketing) to its clients. The position requires a background in sound management principles and successful leadership experience. Applicants should be able to demonstrate the ability to raise funds. The position requires the ability to…